See France by ferry with Irish Ferries

Getting a ferry to France allows you to experience the freedom to experience France with you own car, and at your own pace. If you're someone who hate restrictive baggage allowances, getting groped by security staff in the name of “security” or any of the other hundred or so inconveniences that makes modern flying an experience that rates in the annoyance stakes somewhere between “getting a root canal” and “that guy from the car insurance adverts”. Or maybe you just love everything nautical, from the melodic neighing of sea-horses to the gruff barking of grizzled sea dogs and the chance to see France by ferry makes you tingle with excitement!

Whatever your reasons, travelling by ferry offers a flexible and low-pressure way to see France. Ferry crossings are frequent, and can cost much less than you would think. There are several options available to see France by ferry. First up is Irish Ferries, who have a website at http://www.irishferries.com. Irish Ferries operate out out of Rosslare, and give you two options for your arrival in France: scenic Cherbourg or the more industrial town of Roscoff. The trip will take some time though, so be ready for a fifteen hour trip if you're travelling to Roscoff, and up eighteen hours for the trip to Cherbourg. There's plenty to do to fill that time on board though, as the MS Oscar Wilde, which handles the Ireland-France voyages, comes complete with three separate bars, a steakhouse, two restaurants and a cinema. Expect to pay anywhere between €150 and €300 for one person with a vehicle, depending on which route you take.

The second option is Brittany Ferries, who have a website at http://www.brittanyferries.ie. Brittany Ferries only go from Cork harbour to Roscoff once every Saturday, but do have shortest trip of all of the ferry routes, taking only fourteen hours from port to port. Expect to pay between €300 to €500 for a trip with Brittany Ferries.